The demon's nightmare
by Bellatrix wannabe 89
Summary: When a man comes to the pie shop, very interested in Mrs. Lovett, she quickly falls for the handsome stranger. She doesn't realize that Sweeney recognizes the look the man gives her; a look he gives his own victims, a look of wanting to see there blood.
1. Chapter 1

**Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people  
**

**A/N The first chapter is POV. After that, it'll be written normally.**

I raced out of the room and I hid my hands in my coat pocket. I couldn't let anyone see the slut's filthy blood on them.

As soon as I got outside, I slowed my pace to a walk, and looked as normal as I could. No one pays much mind to me, and that's the way I like it. As soon as I'm sure no one saw me walk out of the house, I turn to look it, and a grin becomes plastered on my lips. 

She was one of my favorites and best so far, and she met my demands quickly without much argument. It helped that I had a knife to her daughters throat, but she did everything I asked her. She was sweet, so sweet. I feel a sweat break out just at the mere thought of her. 

As much as I wanted to keep her alive, I had to kill them both. She may have been amazing, but I know as soon as I had left, she would have ran to the law, and I would have been caught within the hour.

I look at the house for a few more moments before I walk on, not quite sure where I'm going. I just know I needed to get away from there before her bloody son gets home and finds his mum and his sister dead. I'm actually pleasantly surprised no one heard her screams. I love a screamer, it makes the act so much more exciting. 

I walk for a bit, trying to spot my next project, but no luck. No, this one needed to be special, beautiful, perfect in every sense of the word. I always try to upgrade after I dispose of the previous one, and the last one was just, to perfect and amazing for words. 

I turn a corner and look at the street sign. "Fleet Street," it reads. Well, better place then any, really. I start to walk around, eying the different woman, but none of them meeting my standard. I must have walked around for fifteen minutes, and not one woman truly stood out in my mind. 

I'm about to turn around and head down another street before I hear somene yell.

"Toby, where are ya' love?" I quickly turn around, and thats when I see her. Her dark red curls were wild and crazy, yet it still looked well cared for. Her black dress came down to her ankles, yet it had a low dip, letting me see her perfect curves, I was too far away to see her eyes, yet I could tell they were dark. Dark brown, perhaps black, I couldn't tell. She is perfect.

"Toby," my model of perfection called again. Who is this Toby person? her husband, perhaps?

"Coming, mum," a young boy's voice rang out, and a boy around nine, perhaps ten runs up to her, a shopping basket full of baking supplies in his arms.

"Come on, love," she said, ruffling his messy brown hair. Her voice is like music to me ears. Strong, yet meek , all at the same time, it is beautiful. "We've got to get home. I suspect Mr. T will be wantin' 'is dinner by now."

"Yes, mum," the boy called Toby said. She smiled at him, and my heart races. They both begin to walk off, and I follow, yet I'm far enough so that neither the woman nor the boy notice me.

They walk up to a large shop called "Mrs. Lovett's meat pies, and Sweeney Todd's barber shop." She unlocks the front door and she and the boy goes inside. 

Hmm, _Mrs. _Lovett's meat pies? I groan in defeat. She was married, sod it! I'm about to walk away before I turn back to the building. I had gone to a Mrs. Mooney's pie shop a few weeks ago, in hopes of getting the pie baker (I choose one of her customers far more fair then she in the end.) But she told me that her husband had ran off with another woman, and she just never bothered to change the name on the shop, or to correct people when they called her Mrs Mooney. Is it possible that similar circumstances surrounded this woman? Only one way to find out.

I take a deep breath, wipe my hands on the inside of my coat, getting them as clean as I could before I march up to the pie shop and knock on the door, chuckling softly.

"Mrs. Lovett," I think to myself as I watch the boy called Toby come to the door, "you are about to become all mine."

Ooh, cliff hanger! Please review to find out what happens! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own my own people.**

**My guy's POV is in italics at the bottom of the chapter.**

Mrs. Lovett took the shopping basket from Toby and placed it on the table while Toby got out a large pot of stew they had the other night from the fridge and placed it on the table as well. Mrs. Lovett went to the stove and turned it on high.

There was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it, mum," Toby said, walking towards the door.

When he got there, he saw a man standing outside the door. He walked to the door and opened it.

"May I help ya, sir?"

"Yes, I was wondering if the owner of the shop was at home."

" 'Ang on a moment," and he rushed away from the door.

"Mum, theres a man 'ere ta see ya."

Mrs. Lovett looked at him in confusion. It was well after closing time, and no one had ever come to see her specifically, not since Sweeney any way.

She walked to the door, wiping her hands on her dress. She stopped suddenly at the man standing in her doorstop. His hair was a dark brown that looked very well cared for. He had a very handsome face, one which made her stop and gaze at it for a moment.

"Are you Mrs. Lovett?" he asked her.

She cleared her throat and walked over to him.

"Yes, 'ow can I 'elp ya?"

"I just came into town, and I know you're closed, but I was just wondering if whether or not you had something to eat? It's just I 'aven't 'ad anything to eat all day, and I've heard a great many things about your pie shop. I don't have any money, however."

She looked at him for a moment more before she smiled.

"O' 'course, love, come on in."

"Thank you, mam. Are you sure your husband wouldn't mind?"

"Me 'usband died seventeen years ago."

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry 'bout it, ya didn't know. Come on," and she moved out of the way to let him past.

"Thank you," he told her walking into the shop.

Mrs. Lovett closed the door behind him and took a deep breath and smoothed out her dress before she walked up to him.

"So where were you before you came 'ere?"

"London. My wife left me for another man 'bout a month ago. Finally 'ad enough of the memories and came here." He chuckled sadly, "kind of a stupid move on my part, seeing as how I gots no where to go."

"Oh, ya poor dear," Mrs. Lovett said sympathetically as they entered the kitchen where Toby was placing the pot of stew on the stove.

"This is me son, Toby," she said motioning to Toby

"How do you do?"

"Fine, thank ya sir," he said getting out four bowls from the cupboard.

Mrs. Lovett began to clear off the table, and the man quickly grabbed some of the dirty dishes and put them in a sink.

"No, no, don't worry 'bout that." She took the dishes from him, "you just sit down and not worry 'bout a thing, Mr., forgive me, but might I ask wot your name is?"

"How rude of me. My name's Thomas Daniels," he said extending his hand.

"Nellie Lovett," she said grabbing his hand. Instead of shaking it however, he brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.

She blushed and cleared her throat. "Well, just sit on down, dinner should be ready in 'bout twenty minutes." She released his hand and put the dirty dishes in the sink.

"I'm sorry 'bout the dinner bein' jus' left overs. It's jus' I didn't 'ave a lot of time to cook today, wot with goin' to the market and everything."

"I completely understand. I'm sure a beautiful woman like yourself must have a terribly busy schedule. "

She blushed once more and he smiled at her.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me."

Mrs. Lovett offered him a weak smile.

"No, no, not at all. In fact thank ye' for sayin' that."

"Why would you need to thank me for speaking the truth?" Thomas asked softly, meeting her somewhat shocked eyes.

"I, I'm gonna go tell Mr. T, dinner's almost ready."

She quickly left the shop and as soon as she closed the door, she leaned against it.

"Good lord!" she muttered softly, her heart pounding against her chest. No man had called her beautiful in a long time, certainly not one as handsome as that. She shook her head before going up the steps to Mr. Todd's shop.

"Mr. T," she said knocking on the door. She waited a few moments before his door flew open.

"What?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Dinner's almost done, love. Just thought you'd oughta know."

He gave a grumble of thanks before he moved to go back inside.

"By the way, love," Mrs. Lovett continued, "we 'ave a guest with us tonight. Quite the charmer if I do say so me self," she finished with a dreamy smile on her face.

He whipped around and looked at her for a moment, glaring slightly. He pushed by her rather roughly and stormed down the steps, Mrs. Lovett following.

He wenched her shop door open and walked into the kitchen where Thomas was was sitting at the table patently and Toby was getting out four glasses.

"who are you?" Sweeney asked coldly. Thomas looked over at him and stood up.

"I'm Thomas Daniels, and you are?" he answered extending his hand to him.

"Sweeney Todd. I live above the shop," he said, not taking the mans hand.

Thomas must have sensed the coldness coming from him because he withdrew his hand and sat back down in his chair.

Mrs. Lovett walked into the kitchen and went over to the stove and tasted the left over stew.

"Dinners 'bout ready. Should be 'bout ten more minutes."

She got out a bottle of gin and four glasses and put them on the table, pouring a very healthy amount in all four.

"Thanks, mum," Toby said taking the largest of the glasses and downing it before topping off his glass once again.

"Don't mind 'im, the boy drinks like a sailor" Mrs. Lovett told Thomas who was looking at Toby with something of astonishment. "So, Mr Daniels-"

"Thomas, please,"

"I'm sorry. So, Thomas, wot did you do before you found your self on Fleet Street?"

"I was a doctor. Finest one in London."

"I highly doubt that," Sweeney said, taking a drink from his cup.

"Anyway," Thomas said, glaring slightly at Sweeney, "after me wife ran off, I just didn't feel like even getting out of bed in the morning. Started showin' up later and later, finally just stopped coming all together. They gave me my final paycheck and sent me on my way. Stayed 'bout a week 'fore I finally just got up and left.

"Wot 'appened to all your things?"

"Left them. I couldn't stand anythin' 'bout that apartment after she left me."

"So you left a grand life and home, with a great job because your wife left you and have no clothes, no place to live, and no money? Not the smartest move if you don't mind me saying," Sweeney said. Thomas glared at him once more.

"So tell me, Mr. Todd, what is it that you do for a living that makes you so high up on your horse?"

"I'm a barber."

"And you find that meaningful? Your days spent shaving men for pennies while living over a bakery?"

Mrs. Lovett saw anger flash in his eyes so she quickly cleared her throat.

"Stews almost done," she announced getting up from the table and going over to the stove.

The two men looked at one another with one another with anger before Sweeney stood up.

"May I see you in the parlor for a moment, Mrs. Lovett?"

" 'O course I-" he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room, Thomas staring after them.

"Mr. T, wots wrong?" she asked as he let go of her arm.

"Get him out of here."

"Why?"

"I don't like him."

Mrs. Lovett laughed and shook her head.

"Wots not to like 'bout 'im?"

"How about the fact that he degraded and insulted me?"

"Well in all fairness, Mr. T, you did insult 'im first."

He glared angrily at her, but she didn't back down.

"I want him gone."

"Oh come now, Mr. Todd. Surly you o' all people can appreciate th' wantin's o' a little food, a bit o' courtesy."

He narrowed his eyes at her but she simply stared right back.

"He leaves right after dinner," he mumbled, and he walked back into the kitchen.

"Stubborn ox," she muttered, also walking back in the kitchen, where Toby was passed out, his head lying on the table, a half empty bottle of gin in his hand.

"Your son kind of, passed out," Thomas said to Sweeney as he sat down at the table. "Gotta be a record, I say."

"That insignificant waste of space is no child of mine."

"Stop it, be nice. Wots th' poor lad ever done ta you?" Mrs. Lovett scolded, taking the bottle away from him.

"So you're not his father?"

He jerked his hand towards Mrs. Lovett who was now ladling the stew into a bowl, "No. Nor is she his mother."

"But you said-"

"I adopted th' lad. "E lived in a work 'ouse all 'is life, went ta work wit' some awful eye talion who abandoned 'im. I'm all hes got, th' poor dear."

She smiled down at his sleeping form for a moment before she turned back to dishing out the stew.

"Wow. A lot of people would have just sent him back to the work house. You must have a very kind heart."

"It's jus' I know wot its like growin' up in them places. 'Orrible they was back when I was young, don't expect they've changed much since," she said setting a bowl of stew in front of him.

"You grew up in a work house?" Sweeney asked a little taken back.

He had known her for almost four years before he was arrested, and she never even mentioned it. Yet here she was, telling it to a man who she knew fort a total of ten minutes.

She nodded, placing a bowl of stew in front of Sweeney, "seventeen years 'o me life. Then a baker came in one day and asked for an apprentice. Never looked back since."

"Why haven't you shared this with me before now?" She shrugged.

"It never came in a conversation."

Mr. T glared at her before picking up his spoon and dove into his stew.

"Oh, Mr. T, will you do me a favor and carry 'im to 'is room?" Mrs. Lovett asked, pulling Toby's chair out from the table.

He shook his head before putting another bite of stew in his mouth."You're his mother, you do it."

He normally would have done it, he may have grumbled while he was doing it, but he usually had no problem with carrying a passed out Toby to bed. For some reason though, he didn't want her to be alone with him. Just the way he acted towards her.

He wasn't being cruel to her or anything like that, but he just seemed to good for her to be true, or at least have honest intentions.

"I'll do it," Thomas said standing up.

"No no, love, don't worry 'bout it. I've got 'im."

"Please, Nellie, I'd be happy to do it."

"It's Mrs. Lovett," Sweeney grumbled, but luckily neither one heard him.

"No really, jus' sit down and enjoy your supper."

"A woman as beautiful as you shouldn't have to work like that."

Sweeney almost chocked on his stew while Mrs. Lovett blushed a violent red.

"I, I, I uh," she smiled at him, "Thank you."

"Like I said earlier," he stood up and looked into her eyes, "why should you have to thank me for speaking the truth?"

They each looked into one another's eyes for a moment before he turned towards Toby and picked him up gently.

She pointed the door that led to the parlor."Just through there, 'e sleeps on th' couch."

He nodded before he took off through the door, her staring after him.

"You know what I think," Sweeney said menacingly.

"Wots that, dear?" she asked still staring at the door he just went through.

"I think that it's about time I offer him a shave."

She whipped around quickly.

"Mr. T, don't! I mean," but words failed her.

"Why? He's simply a stranger off the street. And you've never served doctor before."

"Mr. Todd, please. I-" but he had walked back in the room.

"Your boy can drink like a fish, I'll tell you what," Thomas said with a laugh.

He noticed that both Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney was looking at him.

"What's going on?"

"Nothin', love. Jus' sit down an' eat."

He looked between Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney once more before he sat down and began to eat his stew.

Mrs. Lovett looked over at Sweeney who glared at her for a moment before he too began to eat his stew.

"So, if you don't mind me askin', are you two a couple?"

"No," Sweeney said quickly.

"'E's me tenant."

"Forgive me for asking , Nellie, but," he leaned in towards her and a mischievous glint appeared in his eye, "are you seeing anyone at the moment?"

"Alright," Sweeney slammed his hand down on the table and stood up. "Thats it. Get out."

"Mr. Todd, stop it." 'Ee doesn't mean that, love," she said casting a glare at Sweeney.

"I never say anything I don't mean. I want you out, and I want you out now."

"Well with all due respect, Mr. Todd," Thomas stood up I believe that's up to her to decide if I want to leave her home or not."

"It may be her home, but I make the rules. Now get out."

"Mr. Todd! Stop it, 'Ee 'as as much right ta be 'ere as you do."

"I live here, he's a begger who came in off the streets."

She looked at him, nothing but anger in her eyes, but he didn't care.

"Get out," Sweeney told him slowly, removing his jacket to revel his razor sticking out of his holster. Thomas looked at Sweeney for a moment longer before he turned to Mrs. Lovett.

"It was a lovely meal, and I thank you, Nellie."

He walked over to her and took her hand in his and kissed it once more.

"OUT!" Sweeney yelled, pulling out his razor and pointing it at him.

"Have a pleasant evening," he said with a low bow before walking out of the shop, Sweeney glaring at him all the while. When they heard the tiny bell over the door ring, he put his razor back and sat down.

" I can't believe you! Wot on earth made you do somthin' like that!" she yelled, storming up to him.

"He fancied you," he said without emotion, picking up his spoon and taking another bite of stew.

"I know! Do you know 'ow long it's been since a man treated me like that?!"

"In all honesty, I don't really care, Mrs. Lovett. Probably a long time."

"That's right! So why did you 'ave to spoil it?"

"Because I'm not about to let you be taken advantage of by some begger off the street."

"Taken advantage of!" she screamed, "'Please! if anyone is taken advantage o' me, it's you! Brooding up there all day long, harping on the bloody ol' judge while I'm down here cookin', cleanin', servin' the customers, makin' our meals, dealin' wit' your bodies, and do I even get a thanks from you it at ? No! A ten year ol' appreciates me more then a grown man does!"

"Is that my problem? Now be a dear and pass me the bottle of gin."

She growled at him and stormed off, slamming the front door behind her.

"Bloody wench," he muttered taking another bite of stew.

Mrs. Lovett slammed the door behind her and let out a frustrated yell.

"Don't tell me he kicked you out as well?" a voice behind her asked.

She whipped around and let out a sigh of relief when Thomas was standing there, a smile plastered on his face.

"No, it's jus' sometimes I can't stand that man."

"So kick him out."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"He'd 'ave no where to go."

"See that's your problem right there, Nellie." He took another step closer.

"Oh yeah? and wots that?" she asked taking a step towards him.

He walked up to her and was barely an inch away from her, he met her eyes.

"You are just too kind."

"'Ow is that a bad thing?" she asked in almost a whisper.

He chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's not bad, it's perfect."

Without another word, he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She was unsure of what to do for a moment before she closed her eyes and kissed him back. He ran a hand through her red curls before he pulled back.

"Perfect," he repeated in a whisper, stroking her face.

She opened her eyes and her lips still tingled, she had to control her breathing. She hasn't been kissed in a long time, she had almost forgotten what it felt like.

"I must be going, I need to find a decent place to stay."

"Will you come back?" she whispered.

He chuckled then ran a hand through her curls once more.

"You can count on it, Nellie."

He smiled his dazzling smile at her once more before he turned and left.

_"Fuck!" I screamed to myself as I walk away from her. She was all too perfect. Kind, beautiful as anyone I've ever seen, single, trusting, doesn't see bad in anyone probably, she even has a son I can use against her! Then that stupid barber has to mess things up. Damn him! Damn him to hell!_

_I take a few more steps before I force myself to calm down. My project would never be complete if I let my anger get the best of me. I'll just have to deal with the barber my own way._

_I reach in my coat pocket and pulled out my knife, still wet and sticky from the blood I spilled from the slut and her daughter not even an hour ago. I smile as I run my finger against the soft, smooth side of the knife. The barber would be no problem, no problem at all._

_I chuckle before I put the knife away in my pocket and walk on, looking for the one who I would have to sacrifice in order to gain lodgings for the night._

**Please Review **


	3. Chapter 3

**Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own my own people.**

**A/N Several issues to address here. Some people have been inquiring whether or not this will be a Sweenet. I doubt it. Maybe you'll see some slight one sided Sweenet on Sweeney's side, but it'll mainly be Lovett/OC (but you can't really call it a romance because of what he's planning to do to her.) **

**Also, I know this chapter is short, but I had to set up the crime, and the fact that Sweeney is getting a lot more suspicious about him. Next one will be longer, hopefully. (In all honesty I'm kind of just making this up as I go along.)**

**Next Day**

"'Ere you are, love, a nice hot pie," Mrs. Lovett said, placing a hot pie in front of a customer.

It was the end of there dinner rush, and both Mrs. Lovett and Toby were working hard to meet the demands of there last customers. She had been on the look out for Thomas since breakfast, and made sure to get up early to make herself look presentable. So far however, she hadn't seen head or hair of him. She was beginning to think that he would never show up.

"'Scuse me, a little more gin over 'ere if you please," a man yelled out. She walked over to the man who had asked for gin.

"Thank ya," the man said as Mrs. Lovett began to pour before turning to a man beside him.

"So anyways, I get there and it's a blood bath! The coroner said they couldn't o' been dead fo' more then a few hours."

Mrs. Lovett was about to walk away before the next sentence of the two men caught her ear.

"Yeah, poor thing. I used to git me meats from Finneys all the time. Wonder what'll happen to it now that Emily's dead."

Mrs. Lovett stopped dead and turned toward the two patrons.

"Finney's meats, over on West end road?"

"Yes, miss, the very same."

"An' this woman you're talking 'bout, 'er name Emily Finney?"

"'Ow'd you know that?"

"Emily Finney was the daughter 'o the man who apprenticed my 'late 'usband. Wot you say happen to her?"

"Pull up a chair, love," the first man said pulling up a chair next to him.

Mrs. Lovett looked around for a moment. There was only three customers left, she saw no harm in sitting down for a chat.

She set down her large pitcher of gin and sat next to the men.

"They found 'er daughter and her dead in there home last night."

"Wot?!" cried Mrs. Lovett. "Dead? but 'ow? Emily was no older then me and 'er daughter was only fifteen."

"Murdered, both of 'um. Er daughter was found tied to a chair, in 'er mothers bedroom, stabbed five times. Emily, well," he took a swig of gin before motioning her closer. "Emily," he repeated in a low whisper, "she was found tied to 'er bed, wit' bruises coverin' 'er whole body, stabbed thirteen times, and three times right between 'er legs."

Mrs. Lovett leaned back in disgust, and had to hold down a gag. Yes she dealt with corpses everyday, but that was just to much.

"And," the man continued, "was found without a shred of clothin' on 'er. 'Er little boy found her. They had to transport 'im to Figgs, 'cause he couldn't take the shock 'o seein' 'is mum and sister in that state."

"'Ow do I know your just not pullin' me leg?" she asked shortly, not being able to believe that someone would be able to commit such a heinous crime.

"I'm the detective that investigated it. Theres been 'bout five 'o these murders ll over the poorer sides 'o London. All beautiful woman, kids, single. Wot's worse is this man don't just concentrate on the woman, he makes her kids watch one was as young as four year old. Then, after he makes them watch him defile and murder the mother, he kills 'um."

Mrs. Lovett cast a look towards Toby who was taking advantage of the momentary absence of customers and sitting down at one of the empty tables, taking a drink of water, for Mrs. Lovett refused to give him gin while he worked.

She don't know what she would do if she ever lost him. She may have only had him for a few months, but she loved him, and she would do anything for him.

"I've sorry if I upsetted you, miss," the man said sympathetically watching her saddened face. "But I figured you'd be on alert more if you know wot was happening, not the whishy washy details the paper and rumor mills gives ya."

"Do you have any idea who it is?" she asked, turning her gaze from Toby and back to the detective.

"Not a clue, the boy basically told us that 'is mum was dating someone before she was murdered, but thats about it, and 'ee's too damaged to try to get anythin' more out 'o 'im right now."

She stared at him in disbelief for a few moments before the man looked at his pocket watch and downed the rest of his ale and stood up.

"I must be going miss. Excellent pie, I must say however." He threw down some money before he and his companion stood up and walked away.

She stared after them a moment before she picked up their plates and made her way to the kitchen.

She put them in the sink and turned on the water.

"That poor girl," she thought to herself adding soap to the water. "tortured like that. Damn the man who did that to hell! And to make her daughter watch, It's disgusting!"

She was so lost in her train of thought that she didn't hear the bell nor the footsteps heading towards the kitchen.

She was still thinking about Emily when she felt two hands grab her roughly around the waist and pulled her backwards.

She screamed in fear and began to fight against the man before he whispered in her ear.

"I surprise you?"

Her attacker released her and she whipped around, ready to lay out on whoever had grabbed her, but she softened when she saw who it was. She was too preoccupied to hear the footsteps running down the steps.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," Thomas said sincerely picking up a bouquet of flowers from the ground and handing them to her. "I really didn't mean too."

"No, no, it's alright, love. I jus' had other things on me mind right now."

She took the flowers and put them in a vase.

"You mind if I asked what?"

"A woman I knew was murdered yesterday."

"I heard about that. "Orrible death it was. Raped and tortured the girl, and he made her child watch the whole thing, didn't he?"

"How did you-"

"I applied as a job at a local hospital today. They brought in a bobby who became physically sick at the sight. I overheard everything," he explained."

"Yeah well," she turned back to the vase, missing the cold smile and demonious glint in his eyes, "It's a sad day in London when a woman 'as to worry 'bout those types o' things in 'er own home."

Thomas nodded in agreement. He opened his mouth to speak before the door to her parlor slammed open and Sweeney Todd and Toby stood there, a razor opened in Sweeney's hand. Toby looking frightened, but he held a large kitchen knife.

"Why did you scre-" Sweeney began, but his sight landed on Thomas, and his eyes narrowed.

"Are you okay, mum?" Toby asked nervously, looking between Thomas and Mrs. Lovett.

"I'm fine, love. Thomas just gave me a scare, that's all," Mrs. Lovett said, looking at Sweeney with apprehension.

"What are you doing here?" Sweeney asked, not lowering his razor.

"Just relax. I just came here to ask Nellie if she wanted to join me for a night time stroll." He turned to her, "so how 'bout it? We can get to know each other better, talk, and it may be late but I'll buy you dinner."

"No," Sweeney said quickly. "She has to much work to do here."

"Forgive me, but I think she's perfectly capable to make decisions on her own. Plus I'm sure Toby wouldn't mind doing a bit of cleaning while she stepped out for a bit."

"I, I don't know, "she said looking at the large pile of dishes in her kitchen. "I do 'ave a lot of work to be doing."

"So do it later. Come in, Nellie," he took her hand in his and smiled at her, "you can trust me."

Sweeney looked from Mrs. Lovett's smiling face then to Thomas es, and he knew. He had made that exact same look whenever he had a customer, and he knew what it meant.

"Mrs. Lovett, I really don't-"

"Okay. Jus' let me get cleaned up a bit and we'll go." She started to walk toward her bathroom, but he grabbed her by the wrist. Mrs. Lovett turned towards him.

"You look perfect."

"I'm covered with flour and must look a fright."

"If a woman as beautiful as you ever looked a fright, I'd kill myself."

"That can be arraigned," Sweeney muttered. Thomas shot him a angry look before turning back to Mrs. Lovett and offering his arm.

"Shall we, my pet?"

Sweeney's hand grew tight around the razor. That was his name for her, only he was allowed to call her that. That was the one thing he had saved from his days of Benjamen Barker. Even back then he had been the only one allowed called her that.

Mrs. Lovett, however, didn't seem to care as she smiled and took his arm.

He smirked at Sweeney for a moment before they walked out of the bake house, both Sweeney and Toby looking after them.

"I don't trust him," Sweeney said after they heard the tiny bell above the shop ring

"Why?"

Sweeney looked down at him for a moment, surprised at how dimwitted the boy was. He knew not to trust Sweeney, could it be possible that he actually trusted this man?

Sweeney said nothing as he looked back at the closed shop door and griped his razor tighter.

"Get this work done before she gets back," he muttered before leaving the kitchen and making his way up the steps to his shop.

"Why should I care whose interested in her or not?" he thought to himself as he entered the shop. "She means nothing to me." But he still couldn't shake that feeling. He had known that look he gave her. He did it himself all the time. He would say one thing, but the look clearly said 'you have no idea what I'm about to do to you."

He stopped pacing and perked up his ears, not exactley sure what he would hear. A scream for help, perhaps, or maybe even a struggle, but it was as silent as the day that he arrived in Fleet Street, as silent as the grave.

**Please review**


	4. Chapter 4

**Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people**

**A/N 21 reviews for one chapter?! Wow. Thanks to every single person who reviewed. I really mean it. I love it when I open my E-mail to see the little review alert messages. It gives me hope to think that I might actually be doing something right with this writing thing. You all rock out loud sooo bad! I love you all so much!**

"So is your neighbor always that cheerful or am I just lucky?" asked Thomas as he and Mrs. Lovett strolled down the deserted street.

" 'Ee's 'ad a 'ard life. You gotta understan' where 'ee's comin' from."

"And where would that be?"

"Well," Mrs. Lovett pondered, choosing her words carefully. "'Bout fifteen years ago, 'ee 'ad the perfect life. Beautiful wife, lovely little baby, a profession 'ee loved. 'Ee had everything he could ever want," she added with note of spite in her voice. "Then 'is wife was raped and she poisoned 'erself, and the same man who raped 'is wife took 'is little girl away from him. 'Ee left for Australia, and then 'bout four months ago, 'ee turned up on my doorstep a changed man. Cold, bitter, angry, and 'atin' life in general."

"The poor man," said Thomas, trying to sound sincere.

Mrs. Lovett nodded in agreement.

"It's a tragedy, knowin' wot 'ee used to be and knowin' wot 'ee is now."

Thomas nodded.

"So that still doesn't answer one question."

"Wot?"

"Why is he so protective of you?"

"I'm all thats left 'o 'is old life. 'Ee doesn't want to lose that."

"Well," he stopped suddenly and she turned towards him, "I think that he should let the reins lose a little bit. You're your own person, you need to think for yourself. Not let your tenant tell you how to live your life. You're a beautiful woman, Nellie." Mrs. Lovett rolled her eyes but he shook his head. "I'm serious, and if Mr. Todd can't seem to realize that, and realize that other men are gonna take an interest in you, then I say you just let him go. Cut him out of your life."

"I can't."

"Why not? Whats to stop you from going up to him and telling him to get out?"

She opened her mouth but couldn't find an answer. What was keeping him there? Sure he was bringing in supplies for her pies, but what was to stop her from doing the deed herself? She could drag a knife across a mans throat just as easily as he could.

"I, I don't know. It's just... I've known 'im for so long, and-"

"And nothing, Nellie. If I were you, I'd tell him to go away, find his own place."

"It's not that simple."

"Yes it is. If you want we're go right now and tell him he has until the end of the week to get out."

Mrs. Lovett shook her head, "I couldn't!"

"Why not?"

"Because, because, because I just couldn't."

"Yes you can. Come on," he started off towards the bake house. "Lets go, right now."

"Thomas, wait!" she cried before racing up to him. "I'm not about to throw 'im out on the streets!"

"You're not," he said as he continued to make his way back to the bake house, "You're giving him a week."

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked after him, a little aprehensive. Why did it matter if Mr. Todd didn't like him? Thats no reason to want him out of the house. Plus they had just started courting, why was he so anxious to get him out of the house?

"Thomas, wait, please," she pleaded, but he continued to make his way to the house.

She let out a frustrated groan before running in front of him.

"I swear if you say one thing to 'im about moving out, I'll never speak to you again."

"Why must the perfect be so damn stubborn!" he thought to himself in anger, restraining himself from releasing his anger, releasing it.

He forced himself to take a deep breath before he smiled.

"Fine, I won't talk to him. But I really think that you should talk to him."

She nodded before they began to walk off again.

"So tell me a little bit 'bout yourself."

"Wot do you wanna know?"

"What you were like as a child, how you started selling meat pies in Fleet street. Just anything."

"I'm afraid it's not very interesting."

"I'm sure that's a complete lie, Nellie. You fascinate me, and I'm sure your life will as well."

"Oh come on," she said with a laugh. "Wot on earth could you find fascinating about a poor baker?"

"Everything," he said turning to look at her. "You seem like an amazing person, Nellie. You're kind, beautiful, fierce yet meek at the same time. You just amaze me."

Mrs. Lovett thanked god that it was so dark, for she had never blushed so hard in her life.

"Th- thank you," she said softly. "No man has ever said anything like that to me."

"Not even your husband?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes,

"'Ee was as about as romantic as a toad stool."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "You deserve a man who'll say that to you always."

"No I don't," she said softly, looking down at the ground.

"Yes," he took her hand and she looked up at him into her eyes. "You do. I don't know who or what made you think that you don't deserve the best, or that you're amazing, but they're wrong."

The two looked into each others eyes for a moment, Mrs. Lovett becoming lost in the light brown eyes that seemed to familiar before a loud thunder clap sounded over head and it started pouring. In a moment they were both soaked to the bones.

"Come with me," Thomas said grabbing Mrs. Lovett's hand as they raced to find shelter.

They finally came to a small stone bridge and ran underneath it.

"Well that was perfect timing!" said Thomas as Mrs. Lovett began to laugh.

"Oh god, look at us! We're soaked!" she said through her laughter.

Thomas held back an eye roll. He couldn't see what was so funny about being wet and cold, but he knew he had to play along. He too began to laugh and shook his head.

"Bloody London weather, always ruins everything."

Mrs. Lovett nodded, still laughing a bit. Thomas smiled at her before he tucked a piece of stray hair away from he face.

"Anyone ever tell you you're beautiful when your wet?"

Her laughter stopped abruptly as she turned to look at him, once again being lost in his eyes. Her heart began racing as he leaned in closer towards her. She closed her eyes and his lips met hers.

Slow at first before he began to kiss her more passionately, more hungrily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer, pressing there soaking wet bodies against one another.

**The Next Day **

Sweeney was rudely awakened by a knock on his door. He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost nine. He got up from his chair and made his ways over to the door, opening it.

"What do you want?" he asked seeing not a customer, but Toby.

"I was wondering if you had the keys to the bake house."

"Didn't Mrs. Lovett tell you not to go down there?" he asked angrily.

"Yes, sir. But It's almost time to open and she's not awake yet. Truth be told sir, I'm not sure she's even came 'ome last night."

He ran to his dresser and grabbed a razor off of it, then with one quick motion, he pushed Toby roughly out of the way, almost making him fall down the steep steps below, and ran down the steps with Toby right at his heels.

Sweeney burst through her door and looked around, not seeing a sign of her. Usually at this time she has already been up for several hours, baking pies, preparing the meat, getting the shop set up, busy making breakfast for the three of them.

He glanced around once more before going through the kitchen and parlor to where her bedroom door was closed.

He ran up to it and slammed it open, stopping short at the sight in front of him.

Mrs. Lovett was lying in bed, a thin ragged looking blanket covering her. But that's not what held him at bay. Thomas was lying next to her, his arms wrapped around her. From the look of it, neither one had anything on under the blanket.

Mrs. Lovett opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening anf when she saw who was standing there, she gasped in fright and shot up, wrapping the blanket tightly around her.

"Mr. T! Wot are you doing in here?!"

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked, as he too sat up. When he caught sight of Sweeney, he held back a smug smile.

"He knows she's mine now."

"What on earth are you doing?" Sweeney asked her, his voice ridden with anger, barely above that of a whisper.

Mrs. Lovett stammered, unsure of what to say.

After they had kissed benieth the bridge, she had offered for him to come over to her house just long enough to warm himself in front of the fire. One thing led to another, and soon she found herself making love to a man for the first time since Albert died. She was actually surprised she hadn't woken Sweeney or Toby up. He was rough, angry, frightening. She had half a mind to tell him to stop at one point, but thought better of it.

"I, I," she shuddered, but Thomas interrupted her.

"One would assume a grown man knows what two adults did when one finds them sleeping together. Of course, with your wife being dead for fifteen years, maybe you've just forgotten."

"Thomas, you need to leave now. Thank you for last night, it was amazing, but you really need to leave," Mrs. Lovett said in a hurry, not looking at Sweeney, who out of the corner of her eye saw his eyes widen and him clench his razor tight. She grabbed a robe at the foot of her bed and put it on, not caring if Sweeney saw a glance of her or not.

She quickly grabbed his clothing and threw it at him. He hastily put it on and began to help look for his shoes.

"Mrs. Lovett, go open the bake house for Toby. I need to have a chat with Mr. Daniels," Sweeney said, narrowing his eyes at Thomas.

"Mr. T, I know wot your about to do and-"

"Out, woman!" he yelled. With a fleeting look towards Thomas, she walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

Sweeney stormed in the bedroom, razor opened, making his way towards Thomas. Thomas reached in the pocket of his trousers and quickly pulled out a large pocket knife and flicked it open, holding Sweeney at bay.

"Stop right there," he ordered as Sweeney reached him, ready to strike with his razor. The two men looked at one another's weapons, each not moving an inch, knife and razor an inch away from it's intended victim.

"Go ahead, kill me. How would Nellie feel about you killing her lover?" Thomas asked.

"Stay away from her," Sweeney growled.

Thomas laughed and a cold smile appeared on his face.

"It's not up to you on whether or not I see Nellie. Plus why should I?"

"I see you around her again and I'll kill you."

"Oh I see. You have feelings for the wench, is that it, Mr. Todd?"

"Stay away from her," he repeated, "or it will be the last thing you do."

Thomas snickered.

"After last night, you really expect me to stay away? No, I think I might keep this one around a little longer then intended."

"You're just using her for sex? What kind of man are you to do that to a woman?"

"Not just sex, my dear Mr. Todd. Later on, I can guarantee you I will be using her for a lot more."

Sweeney saw him look at his knife with a most familiar look, the one he gave his own razors.

He swung his razor, wanting nothing more then to have his rubies spilled. Thomas jumped back, the razor barely slicing his neck, and struck.

Sweeney may have been good with a razor, but his reflexes aren't what they were fifteen years ago. He caught him right above the shoulder. With a cry of pain, he clutched his arm and dropped his razor. Thomas stepped toward him and held the knife to his throat.

"You tell her anything of what I told you, and I'll kill you."

"Try it," Sweeney growled, still clutching his shoulder.

"And, I'll kill your precious Mrs. Lovett earlier then intended. Do you understand?"

Sweeney didn't answer. Thomas glared before he stabbed him in the arm. Sweeney let out another cry of pain and looked up at him. For the first time in fifteen years, fear shone in his eyes.

The bed room door slammed open and Mrs. Lovett burst in.

"I heard yelling, wot happ-, Mr. T!"

She raced over to him and bent down next to him, gently grabbing his arm to examine it, but he jerked out of her grasp.

"Don't touch me," he told her before grabbing his razor and storming out of the room.

Mrs. Lovett looked up at Thomas who had a look of utter fear on his face.

"He tried to kill me!" he cried, clutching his throat. He tried to slit my throat! I didn't mean to stab him! I would have died if I hadn't."

Mrs. Lovett looked at him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth.

"Honestly, Nellie," he said getting to his knees, eye level with her. "I would never hurt someone who means so much to you. But he tried to kill me."

Mrs . Lovett sighed. She knew this would try to happen.

"I know, love, and I'm sorry 'e did. 'Ee just 'as a bit of an anger problem."

Thomas tried to maintain his sad and frightened look instead of showing amazement. It had worked! He had been ready for a large fight in which he would to try to lie about Sweeney and convince her he had gone mad, but she had just accepted it! Was it considered normal for him to try to slit unsuspecting people's throats?

"I'm sorry love. But you really shouldn't made that crack about 'is wife. Ee's very sensitive about it."

"I know," he said hanging his head. "I feel so bad. It's just when he was asking you something that was clearly our own business..."

"I know. Just, promise me you won't mention 'is wife or daughter in front of 'im again?"

He nodded

"Of course, Nellie."

She grinned before she kissed him once more.

"Uh, mum," Toby said softly, knocking on the door. Nellie turned towards him.

"Wot is it, love?"

"Do you want me to go down to the bake oven and 'elp with anything down there? It's almost time to open."

"No, love. You just get ready up 'ere, okay?"

Toby nodded before turning to Thomas.

"Nice meetin' you again, sir."

"Likewise, master Toby."

Toby smiled at him before leaving the room.

"God he's so precious," Mrs. Lovett said softly staring after him. Thomas said nothing and checked his watch.

I should probably get going. I'll see you later."

"Bye, love."

With one last kiss, he walked out of her bedroom and out the front door.

**Please Review! Lets try for 22 this time! I love you all!! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people**

Sweeney stormed out of the room, fuming silently at both Mrs. Lovett and Thomas.

"How dare she! How dare she talk about Lucy to a man she barely knows!"

As he walked into the kitchen, he grabbed a dish cloth from the counter and held it to his bleeding arm, slumping down in one of the chairs.

"I hate her," he grumbled, pressing the rag harder against his wound.

He heard footsteps behind him, but passed them off as Mrs. Lovett's. Until someone grabbed his arms and held them behind his back, and held a knife to his throat.

"Before I go, I just wanted to remind you of something," Thomas growled softly as Sweeney stood perfectly still, determined not to make it seem like he was frightened. "You tell her what I told you, and I kill you, her, and her wretched son Toby."

"I thought you were gonna kill her anyway?" asked Sweeney, as he struggled not to relinquish the fear that coursed through every inch of him.

"I am, Mr. Todd. But believe me. I plan to do a lot more to her before I kill her. I can just picture it now."

He let out a soft groan which made Sweeney cringe in disgust.

"Her tied to her bed, screaming for help, begging me to stop as I force myself in her, pushing harder and harder. Her miserable excuse for a son forced to watch as I do things to her that people have only seen in their nightmares . I make her watch as I murder him, before taking her again, and slowly, painfully, take her miserable life away, where she'll forever be mine." He chuckled before he leaned in, "if you keep your mouth shut, you're more then happy to join me. I'm sure the little harlot wouldn't mind."

With a yell of anger, Sweeney twisted out of his hold and whipped around to face him, his face displaying both hatred and fear.

"You still 'ere, love?" Mrs. Lovett's voice rang out as she came into the kitchen, fully dressed, hair pinned up, looking between Sweeney and Thomas.

"I was just leaving, love."

He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly on the lips.

Unable to control his fury any more, Sweeney yelled out. "Don't fucking touch her!"

Mrs. Lovett practically threw Thomas off of her as she looked at Sweeney with shock.

"Mr. Todd! Wot 'as gotten into you?"

He stood there a moment longer, his chest heaving, looking at Thomas with the hate he once held only for the Judge.

He stormed out of the room and up the stairs to his shop.

"The poor lad," Thomas muttered looking at Mrs. Lovett with sympathy. "I feel so bad for him. Seeing you so happy, yet all he has to keep him warm at night is the thoughts of his dead wife."

Mrs. Lovett nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, love. I'll talk to 'im."

"He said I should steer clear of you, that I should never see you again. I said I was sorry, but I wasn't about to be kept away from the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world."

Mrs. Lovett blushed and Thomas chuckled before checking his watch. "I really must be going, though. I shall see you tomorrow. I feel the need to let your neighbor cool off a bit."

Mrs. Lovett nodded in agreement. "I think that's the bes' idea."

They smiled at one another before she walked him to the door and opened it.

"I shall call on you again, my dearest Nellie," he said, taking her hand and kissing it softly.

She held back another blush as he tipped his hat and walked away. She stared after him, sighing happily as she leaned against the door frame.

" 'Ow can one man be so perfect?" she thought to herself, not being able to conceal the smile that played on her lips.

Before she could bask in her glory a moment longer, a loud crash came from upstairs, followed by a yell of pain and anguish. She ran up the steps, nearly tripping on her long dress before she ran into the shop.

Sweeney was on his hands and knees, his hand shaking and bloody, a shattered mirror next to him.

"Wot 'appened?" she asked, rushing in the room and leaning next to him.

Without another word, he grabbed her by the collar and hoisted her up, shaking from both fury and pain, he opened the razor and held it at her throat.

"What did you tell him?" he growled. Yes he was concerned about what Thomas had told him about Mrs. Lovett, and he would deal with that in a moment. However he had to be sure she didn't divulge anything incriminating.

"Nothing! I swear, Mr. T!"

"Lier!" he shouted, making her whimper in fear. "How did he know about Lucy?"

"I, I told 'im that she was raped and then she poisoned 'erself, and that the man 'oo raped 'er took your daughter and that you went away for fifteen years before you came back. I swear, that's it."

"You had no right to talk to him about Lucy or Johanna, no right at all!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't think 'e would use it against ya!"

Sweeney growled before pressing the knife against her throat tighter.

"You swear, that's all you told him? You mentioned nothing about the judge or the pies or the murders or anything?"

She shook her head violently. "No. I would never do that to you. I couldn't do that to you, Mr. Todd."

Scowling at her fiercely, he released the hold he had on her. Mrs. Lovett massaged her neck and let out a shaky breath. He paced a little bit before turning back to her.

"You're not to see him again. Do I make myself clear?"

"I think you're being a bit unfair. I talked to 'im, 'e promised not to bring up Lucy or Johanna again."

"I don't care. I see him anywhere around the bake house or you again, I'll kill him."

"Mr. Todd, stop it," she said, a bit of her temper finally shining though. "I know you're upset that I've got someone to love and you don't, but that's no right to get angry at me 'cause of it."

"I don't care if you found a bed side partner. Go sleep with all of London for all I care. But you're not to see him again."

"Wot on earth makes you so 'igh up on your 'orse that makes it possible for you to tell me wot to do?"

He stormed over to her and she unwillingly took a few steps back.

":Because, my dear Mrs. Lovett," he growled, "you are nothing but an insignificant little woman, where as I am a man. Therefore, I have every right in the book to tell you what to do."

Mrs. Lovett glared at him but he held his own against her gaze. Finally, she said the thing she know would get him angry, but she didn't care. She had been controlled when she was married to Albert, she wasn't about to let Sweeney do the same things to her.

"Benjamen Barker would never try to control a woman." His eyes widened in what could have been shock or anger. He narrowed his eyes at her before he opened his razor and held it at her throat once more.

"In fact," she continued, her bravery growing by the moment, "I seem to remember a certain Mr. Barker gettin' into a fist fight right in me shop when Albert yelled humiliated, and even struck me in front of everyone. 'Ee said I wasn't allowed to make idle chit chat with the male customers, and you yelled at 'im and told 'im I was allowed to do whatever I wanted, that 'e 'ad no right to control me."

Sweeney's eyes narrowed at her again as he held it closer. He remembered that fight, truth be told he remembered a lot of the fights he had with Albert.

Most were in fact about him controlling Mrs. Lovett. He even got into fights about it with Lucy, who said it was a wife's duty to obey her husband, and Mrs. Lovett wasn't doing that and Albert had every right to yell at and hit her like that.

After another moment of silence, he released the knife from her throat and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Mr. Todd," Mrs. Lovett began softly, looking down at the flor, wringing her hands together. "I haven't 'ad a man do and say those things to me in a long time. 'Ee's just, 'e's perfect."

"Surly you dated other's in the fifteen years I've been away?"

"Well yeah. I mean there's been a few men, but Thomas is just."

She sighed happily, as if words could not describe how amazing he was. "'Ee respects me, 'e's a romantic, 'e's everything a woman could ever ask for. Like 'e came down from Heaven just to be with me."

"Came up from Hell is more like it," he thought to himself.

"Mrs. Lovett," Sweeney said, his voice firm. "I will tel you one last time. Either stay away from him, or I kill him without a moments hesitation. Understand?"

"Mr. Todd, please-"

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND, WOMAN?!"

She let out a yell of fear and jumped back several steps. He looked upon her with a look of such anger, that it frightened her to the core.

"Do you understand?" he growled softly, twirling the razor in his hand.

She nodded frantically, desperate to hide the tears that were forming in her dark eyes before she went over to the door and rushed out, shutting the door behind her.

She practically ran down the steps, tears somewhat blinding her. It wasn't fair, not at all. She ad always had to hear the two of them be happy when they lived over her shop, always had to witness the two of them looking like love sick puppies, yet she had finally found a man who made her happy, who actually loved her back, and he had to ruin it.

Mrs. Lovett stormed into the shop and slammed the door behind her with a tiny tinkle. She took several deep breaths before she sat down at one of the booths and struggled to keep the tears from falling anymore. She let out a sob and tried to cover it up, but her tears eventually won over her mind. She let out another sob and laid her head down on the table and began to softly weep, her body shaking slightly from the sobs.

"Mum," Toby's soft voice spoke, "are you okay?"

She looked up at him and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Mum," Toby asked again, this time taking a seat next to her, "Please tell me wots wrong."

She shook her head, some of her loose curls coming out of the bands and clips, "Nothings wrong, love."

"Did you and Mr. Todd have a fight?" he asked, bitterness overtaking his concerned tone.

"Don't be disrespectful to 'im, after all 'e's done for us."

"You do more for him then 'e does for you, mum," he pointed out.

Mrs. Lovett cocked her eye brow in surprise and amusement. She knew a child shouldn't talk that way about an adult, but she had treated her elders the same way when she was a child. She guessed it had to do with growing up in a work house, having to learn to not take any shit from anyone or else your days there would be filled with more misery then before.

"Now, Toby, you don't know that. You don't know half of wot Mr. T does for you and me."

"I know, mum, but if 'es making you this upset then-"

"It wasn't Mr. Todd that made me upset, love. Its just, I 'ad a bit o' dust in me eyes is all."

"Yeah but-"

"Hush now, Toby. Enough of this foolish chatter, ya hear me?" she scolded.

Toby swallowed his sentence and nodded. He didn't want to make her mad at him. Even though he knew she would never strike him, he still had the scars on his back as proof of what Pirelli would do when he got angry, even if it wasn't Toby's fault.

"I'm sorry, mum," he muttered, looking down at the ground. Mrs. Lovett wiped the remainder of her tears away before she smiled at him and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, love. It's just, I've 'ad a 'ard day so far and I've only been up for forty five minutes."

Toby nodded and gave her a hug back before they both released it.

"Should I start gettin' ready for today's customers, mum? We open in two hours."

"I'd really appreciate that, Toby."

He smiled at her before he scooted off the bench, but before he had gone more then a step, Mrs. Lovett called to him.

"Toby, mind if I ask you somthin'?"

He turned around to face her. "Wot, mum?"

"Wot do you think of Mr. Daniels?"

"Who?"

"Thomas, love."

"Oh. 'Ee seems like a nice guy, mum. Are you seeing 'im or somethin', mum?"

She blushed then cleared her throat.

"Err, yes. Are you okay with that though?"

He nodded.

"'O' course. Jus' one question though, mum."

"Wot's that, love?" she asked gently.

"Why were you an 'im in bed together this morning?"

Her face blushed a brilliant red. She cleared her throat and straighted out.

"I'll tell ya when you're older, love. Now come on, let's get ready for the day."

He nodded, accepting of the answer she had given him, before he walked out the door to begin wiping down the tables.

"Wot am I gonna do with that boy?" she muttered, chuckling softly before making her way to the bake house, the memories of last night playing in her mind, and she couldn't help but smile at them.

"No," she thought to herself firmly. "I won't let Sweeney control my life, I won't let him tell me who I can or can not love."

With a new found independence, she walked into the bake house and began to prepare the meat, determined not to let Sweeney's insecurities ruin the man she believed to be perfection.

**Please Review! **


	6. Chapter 6

Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people

Three Weeks Later

"Thomas, stop. 'Ee's gonna catch us," Mrs. Lovett giggled as he pressed her up against a shelf of flour in a small, dim, baking closet, kissing her neck.

They had been dating in secret for the past three weeks, unbeknown to Sweeney. He spent his time up in the shop, and the only time Mrs. Lovett saw him was when she brought up his meals to him, and he rarely spoke to her even then. She had told Toby that they were an item, and he promised not to let it slip to Sweeney.

They had met in secret, and on the nights he came over to spend the night, they made love in almost silence, which proved difficult to Mrs. Lovett. With each time, he had gotten more rougher with her, more violent. It had taken all of her will the last time not to scream in pain as he pushed himself in her, becoming more angrier with every thrust.

"Come on. I got to see to me customers."

"Let them wait," he mumbled as his hands moved to her back and began to untie her corset.

"I can't, love, I don't want Toby handlin' the dinner rush by 'imself."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before trying to move past him, but he grabbed her and forced her back. He kissed her hungrily on the mouth before moving to untie her top once more.

"Thomas, come on, stop."

He pushed up against her harder, making it hard for her to even move. Her top was almost all the way undone.

"Let go 'o me," she said, her usually timid voice sounding demanding.

He ignored her and with a final tug at the strings, the dress slackened on her, and would it not have been for the fact that he was pressed up against her so hard, it would have slid off her.

He released the grip he had on her waist and moved it underneath the dress to the inside of her thigh and began to move up, her soft, smooth skin agaisnt his rough hands.

"Don't!" she yelled, pushing him away with all the force she could muster. He stumbled back, surprised that she had fought him like that.

His eyes narrowed in anger and her eyes widened in fear. He made a move towards her, but stopped short as the door opened and Toby walked in.

"We're out o-, I'm sorry!" he cried hastily, averting his eyes as they landed on Mrs. Lovett, whose dress had slid down around her ankles the moment she had pushed him away.

She quickly pulled up the dress and began to tie it up again.

"What is it you wanted, dear?" she asked in a shaking voice, not being able to look at either of them.

"Ale, we need more ale, mum," Toby muttered, still averting his eyes.

She grabbed a large bottle of ale and handed it to him.

"I'll be out in a moment, alright?"

He nodded before he shut the door.

"I'm sorry," Thomas said, seeing her mouth begin to open, "I didn't mean to get that rough with you. It's just," he caressed her cheek and smiled at her, "you're irresistible, Nellie."

"Why didn' you stop when I told you to?" she asked, still tying the back of her dress.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I just can't seem to keep my hands off you."

He ran his hands through her mess of curls and she managed a small smile. He pulled her in closer and gently kissed her on the lips, running his tongue across her bottom lip.

He pulled away and he was pleased to see that a shy grin was on her face.

"I really am sorry, Nellie," he said as she made her way past him.

"You're gonna 'ave to make it up to me some 'ow," she told him, smirking, opening the closet door and stepping out.

"I look forward to it."

As she walked away, leaving him to himself, he let out breath of air and felt the knife in his trouser pocket.

"Keep your head on," he reminded himself. "Pretty soon you can have her just as you pictured. Screaming and begging for death to come."

The thought brought a rather cruel smile to his lips as he walked away from the closet, keeping a sharp eye out for Sweeney, and as soon as he saw that the coast was clear, he walked out of the front door and left.

"'Ee didn' mean it, 'e jus' got carried away," she told herself serving an older couple two hot pies.

Still, she couldn't forget the mad look in his eyes when she had pushed him away. He had looked frightening, mad, angry. Like Sweeney looked when he talked about the judge, or how Albert used to look right before he would strike her.

"Mum, we're almost sold out. We've only got 'bout twenty left."

Mrs. Lovett nodded before she went over to the sign and flipped the sign to sold out before returning to the remaining customers, pushing the event out of her mind.

Two hours later.

With a sigh, Mrs. Lovett collapsed on the couch, wanting nothing more then to sleep and never get up again.

She closed her eyes and let out another sigh that her work was done for the night.

"Mum," Toby said walking into the parlor. She suppressed a groan and opened her eyes to look at him,

"Yes, Love?"

"Do you wan' me to make you some dinner or tea or somethin'?"

Mrs. Lovett gave him a tired smile and closed her eyes again.

"No that's fine, dear. But go ask Mr. Todd if he doesn't min heatin' you up somethin' for dinner. My poor bones are just ready to drop, love."

"I could heat me self up somethin', it's no trouble."

"I don't want you messin' 'round with the oven, love. Go ask Mr. Todd. He won't bite."

Toby swallowed a retort and nodded. He knew she was tired and had no will to argue, even if it meant him going to the man he feared more then anyone.

"Yes, mum." She didn't respond and he could tell that she was already asleep.

With a deep breath, he made his way up the steps that led to Sweeney's room.

As soon as he was gone from the room, Mrs. Lovett heard a tiny tinkling of the bell from her front door followed by footsteps.

Cursing silently for not locking the door properly, she rolled over to face the cushions.

"We're closed," she yelled, "come back tomorrow'."

But the footsteps walked into her parlor. She sat up in the couch, glaring at the person who had just walked in.

"I said we're closed, and no customers are allowed back-" but when she saw who it was, her face softened.

"Hello, love." Thomas said with a smile. He held a large bouquet of roses in one hand with a large card tucked in. He walked up to her and handed her the roses. "These are for you. For earlier. I'm sorry for making such an ass out of myself, Nellie."

"Oh, Thomas," she breathed softly, taking the roses and inhaling there sweet scene. "They're beautiful!"

"Just like you," he told her as she flushed.

"Love, you really shouldn't-"

But what he shouldn't have done he never found out. For at that exact moment, a heavy set of footsteps were doming down the steps.

"Bloody woman," Sweeney muttered, "thinks he's a child when he's ten bleedin' years old."

Mrs. Lovett bolted up and threw the roses down on the couch.

"You 'ave ta go," she whispered running towards the door.

"Nellie, really," Thomas said a little annoyed, "hasn't this gone far enough?"

"Please jus' go," she begged as the footsteps got closer.

"Nellie-"

"Go!"

With a glare, he stormed out of the parlor and just as Sweeney came to the landing, she slammed the door shut.

"Who was that?" he asked a little annoyed. Toby had told him that she was fast asleep, yet here she was, wide awake and walking around.

"Oh nothin', love. Jus' that begger woman come 'round 'gain. I told her to leave."

"The ugly one with the stringy hair?"

Mrs. Lovett forced herself to contain a grin as he talked about Lucy like that.

"The same one, Mr Todd."

Sensing he was able to see the smile on her face, she yawned and stretched.

"Blimey I'm tired. Well I think I'll be hittin' the sack now, Mr-"

"What are those?" Sweeney asked walking over to the flowers.

"Nothin'," she lied, "jus' somethin' Toby got me at the market, bless 'is soul."

He took the card from the flowers, opened it, and read it.

Mrs. Lovett was frightened to see his face go form bored, to astonished, to pure, unrelenting anger.

"TOBY!" he bellowed, throwing the card down, "GET DOWN HERE NOW, BOY!"

Mrs. Lovett now felt an immediate sense of dread as Toby bounded down the steps.

"Wots goin on?" he asked, clearly confused, before Sweeney grabbed him by the scoff of his collar and threw him to the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT, YOU SICK, DEPRIVED, FREAK?!" Sweeney roared at the trembling boy with a rather painful kick to the ribs. He grabbed his razor out of his holster and opened it. He grabbed the front of his shirt and hoisted him up, razor held high. Toby let out a scream of fright. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU DISGUSTING SON OF A BITCH!"

But before either one could blink, Mrs. Lovett let out a yell , ran forward and jumped on Sweeney's back, her arms go tight around his neck making him release his grip on Toby.

"'OW DARE YOU 'URT MY SON!" she screamed right into Sweeney's ear, making her grip tighter.

He staggered over to the couch and jumped on it back first. Mrs. Lovett hit her head on the arm of the couch and loosened her grip. Sweeney yanked out of her grasp and backed away several steps in shock. At once, she rushed over to Toby, who was sniffling slightly and holding both hands to his chest.

She gently sat him up before hugging him softly, running her hands through his hair, muttering that he was going to be alright.

"How I long for the feel of your lips on mine," Sweeney spat, making Mrs. Lovett and Toby look at him in bewilderment.

He was reading from the card that was attached to the flowers, holding the card at arms length as though it might bite him. "How I dream of our bodies pressed up against one another, while I run my hands through your fiery red curls, the color of love, the color I hold in my heart only for you. How I want to hear your moans of pleasure as my lips whisper your name softly. How I wish I could be with you now, embracing you, touching you, loving you, with all the passion a woman like you deserves. Always yours, your lover."

Sweeney threw down the card again and glared at Toby. "That sick, abnormal child wrote that about you, Mrs. Lovett, his mother. Either you throw him into the streets, or throw him into Figgs. Because either he leaves within the next ten seconds or I'm going to kill him."

"I would never write those things about mum!" Toby cried, tears filling his eyes.

He had never had a real family before, and even though she was just one person, he still considered her family. He was not about to do anything to mess that up, especially something like that. Toby loved her, of course, but not the way whoever sent her the flowers loved her.

"Lier!" Sweeney shouted, making both Mrs. Lovett and Toby flinch.

"I swear I didn'! It was probably that man 'oo was 'ere earlier!"

"What man?" he growled.

"That Thomas fella mums been seeing for the past month or so!"

Mrs. Lovett let out a quick gasp, and Sweeney turned his attention to her.

"Is it true?" he asked, his voice quiet, but there was no mistaking that look on his face. She quickly stood up as he advanced on her.

"Mr. Todd, calm down. I-"

"After I told you, after I specifically told you to stop seeing him, you go behind my back to date him?"

His voice was rising with anger with every step he took towards her. She quickly backed up even more.

"Lo- love please," she tried to say calmly, but her voice came out with a twinge of fear attached. "I just wa-"

With a yell of rage unlike the one she had given when she jumped on him, he pinned her to the wall and held his razor to her throat.

"Let 'er go!" Toby yelled, running over to him, but with one look towards the boy, he was held in his tracks, looking in paralyzing fear from Mrs. Lovett to Sweeney. He turned back to her and she had to force herself to stand under his powering gaze.

"You stupid, insignificant woman!" he roared, making her whimper in fear. "I told you not to date him, I told you not to see him again! Why the hell didn't you listen to me?!"

He held the razor closer to her throat, making a few droplets of blood appear there. She gave another whimper of fear as her eyes flickered from the blade to his eyes.

"Please," she begged in a hushed whisper, "please don't hurt me."

He glared at her for a moment before took the razor away from her throat and stormed away from her.

With a gasp, she sank down the wall and began massaging her neck, looking at Sweeney with apprehension.

He went over, grabbed the card and read where he had gotten it from before he stormed over to the door.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Lovett asked, quickly standing up and rushing over to him.

He didn't even turn around to face her, "I told you what would happen to him if you kept on seeing him. I don't care what I have to do, I'm going to find him and kill him."

"Mr. Todd, no!" she cried, but he already had opened the door and walked out. She ran to the door and cried out, but a loud clap of thunder made her unheard.

"Sweeney!" she cried over the sudden pounding of rain, "Mr. Todd, don't! Benjamen, please!"

But he didn't listen, and walked down the street, the rain pouring down and the lightning flashing all over.

Mrs. Lovett closed the door and sank down the door and pulled her knees up to her chest and put her head in her arms, her body shaking slightly from the sobs. Toby slowly walked over and, unsure of what to do, he got on his knees and hugged her, letting the woman who had done everything for him, cry into his shoulder.

"I'm gonna kill him," Toby thought bitterly, glaring at the door as it were Mr. Todd.

Little did he know, someone else thought the exact same thing at that precise moment.

"Bloody woman," Sweeney muttered, ignoring the pounding rain. "Stupid, idiotic, woman. Can't she see I'm doing what's best for her?"

Still lost in his thoughts, he turned a corner. So lost was he, that he didn't see the man lurking in the shadows, holding a short silver knife, ready to pounce. A flash of lightning struck, and it happened.

Someone grabbed his arms and slammed him against a darkened alley wall. Sweeney quickly wenched out of the mans grasp and reached for his razor and flicked it open. The man raised his knife, and they struck. metal hit metal with a loud clang and both men withdrew their weapons and raised them again, like swords, ready to fight to the death.

They circled one another for a moment before Sweeney struck, barely missing his target. The man jumped back and thrust his arm forward, striking Sweeney deep in the shoulder.

Sweeney let out a shout of pain as he dropped his razor and grabbed his shoulder. The man struck again, this time catching Sweeney in the chest.

His eyes bulged as he felt warm sticky blood flow from him. He fell to his knees and looked up at his still unknown attacker.

"Shouldn't of tried to keep me from what was mine, Todd," the man said with a cold happiness in his voice. Lightning struck again and Sweeney saw his attacker for the first time, and his eyes narrowed.

"You," he growled.

The man chuckled and bent down so that he was right in front of him.

"Yes me," Thomas whispered. "And pretty soon, your dear Mrs. Lovett will join you," he pushed the knife deeper into Sweeney, "in hell," he finished, giving the knife a sharp twist.

Sweeney closed his eyes and fell backwards onto the cold, muddy ground, his hand mere inches away from the one he called his friend.

(Ducks from flaming objects thrown at me.) Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Tim Burton and Stephen Sondheim own Sweeney Todd. I own my own people.

Toby watched as Mrs. Lovett paced back and forth. It had taken a glass of gin, but she had eventually calmed down, well, she was now more calm then she was before.

"Mum," Toby said, interrupting Mrs. Lovetts pacing. "Why don't you jus' go to the law? If 'ee's gonna 'urt Thomas, then you can jus' go tell them."

Mrs. Lovett shook her head.

"I couldn't do that to 'im, 'ee's bee too good to us."

Toby rolled his eyes. He hated Sweeney for that, for making his mum believe that he's done anything for her when really, it was her that did everything for him, and he treated her like garbage.

"'Ee doesn't do anything for us, mum."

"Yes 'ee does, you jus' don't see it. And don't roll your eyes at me, love."

"Yes, mum," he apologized, but she was back to pacing, he doubted she even hear him.

There was a knock at the door and Mrs. Lovett rushed to answer it.

"Thomas!"she cried, seeing him covered in blood.

"Nellie," he groaned falling into her arms.

"Go get 'elp!" she yelled to Toby who was looking on in fright.

She brought him to the couch and ripped off his bloody shirt.

Mum," Toby asked in a shaking voice, unsure of what to do.

"Go!" she yelled again.

With one last look of terror, he ran from the house.

She threw the shirt to the ground before rushing to the kitchen to grab a wet rag. Thomas took a deep breath and pulled out his knife from his pocket, still covered in Sweeneys blood, a grim smile on his face.

"She's gonna be all mine."

He heard her heels running back to the living room, and he quickly stuffed the knife back into his pocket.

Mrs. Lovett rushed back in the room and began wiping his chest with the wet rag.

"Oh god, wot did 'ee do ta you? I don't see a cut," she said, wiping more of the blood off.

"It's not my blood."

Mrs. Lovett looked up from his bloody chest and into his now gleaming eyes.

"Wot did you say?"

"I said." He took her hand and the look of pain was replaced with a look of evil. "This isn't my blood."

Mrs. Lovett looked at him in utter confusion and fear for a moment, before she yanked her hand out of his and walked to the door.

"I think you should leave now."

She opened the door a fraction before it slammed shut again.

With a gasp of surprise, she turned around and found Thomas in front of her, his hands on either side of her, blocking her from moving or opening the door.

"Wot do you want?" she asked, attempting to swallow her fear.

"What every guy wants, and you're going to give it to me."

"Get out now," she told him firmly, trying to hold in the fear.

He chuckled and moved a stray piece of hair from her face.

"The only place I'm going," he kissed her softly on the neck "is in you."

He grabbed her by the arms, hard, and threw her down on to the couch.

"Get off me!" she screamed as loud as her body would allow as he climbed on top of her.

He pinned her arms above her head and smiled as she struggled to get from under him.

"Sweeney!" she cried as the tears began to form in her eyes, " 'elp me! Sweeney, please!"

.He chuckled and got out the bloody knife from his jeans and showed it to her.

"Keep screaming for help, he can't hear you. That piece of garbage is dead."

"No! " she screamed yanking her arm out of his grip and punching him across the face as hard as she could.

He let out a cry of pain as he put his other hand to the place where she hit him. With a loud cry, she pushed him off her and got up and ran from the room.

He got up and ran after her, knife in hand. She was almost to the door, when he grabbed her by the arm and threw her to the ground and quickly got on top of her.

"NO! Get off of me! Sweeney!" she screamed again, refusing to believe his fate, "Sweeney! Toby! Somebody, 'elp!"

"Shut up!" he yelled, punching her across the face. She let out a cry of pain before he put the knife to her throat.

Mrs. Lovett let out a cry. "Please," she pleaded as the tears rolled down her face. "Please don't 'urt me."

He chuckled once more and hit her again. "Not a chance."

He kissed her forcefully on the mouth and she let out a muffled scream. He stuck his tongue in her mouth and she let out a gag before biting down.

Thomas let out a scream and pulled away, but she held on. With all the force he could muster, he hit her hard across the face and pulled away from her, the blood flowing out of his mouth like a waterfall..

"You fucking bitch!" he screamed hitting her harder then before. He brought up his knee and as hard as he could, brought it down in-between her legs.

Mrs. Lovett let out a scream of pain and tried once again to get from under him, but to no success.

He hit her once more, and with one last cry of pain, her eyes shut and she stopped struggling. Panting and bleeding, he got off of her and stood over her.

"Fucking cunt," he mumbled, kicking her hard in the ribs. He heard something crack, but she didn't wake up. He saw her chest rising and falling steadily, so he knew she wasn't dead.

Thomas went to the kitchen and got a rag and placed it to his tongue, cursing her.

"Stupid bitch," he muttered wiping the blood off.

"Oh well," he thought to himself, spitting blood onto the floor. :At least when she wakes up, you know she'll be a challenge."

He smiled at himself, thinking of her struggling, fighting, screaming for him to stop. He looked back in the living room and with a final spit of blood, he went back in there, circling her like a vulture circles his prey.

"You're gonna wish you never did that," he thought, rubbing his still bleeding tongue against the roof of his mouth.

With a slight groan, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Sweeney Todd groaned as he opened his eyes to the stone pavement in front of him, feeling a new sting of pain every time a rain drop hit. He closed his eyes and with tremendous effort, rolled over. He gasped in pain and looked down at his stomach where thick warm blood was gushing forth.

He started to close his eyes once more as he began to feel his eye lids get heavy.

"No!" he screamed at himself as he felt himself drift off to what he knew would be a never ending sleep. "You have to save her! You couldn't do anything for Lucy, but you can save her!"

With a groan, he opened his eyes once more and yelled in pain as he sat up, his breathing labored.

Shakingly, he stood up. Only to take one step and fall to the floor again .

He winced in pain and knew that if he could allow himself to just fall asleep, he would be out of pain, be with peace, be with Lucy...

"Get up!" Sweeney growled, his fists clenched, knowing he had to do something, knowing that Lucy wouldn't want him to cave like this.

With a loud yell, he forced himself to his knees, and with even more of an effort, he stood up.

With a stumble, he found his balance. The lightning struck, and he saw the brightest gleam of silver. He quickly picked it up and looked at it for a moment before putting it back in his holster.

Breathing heavily, he began to run to the place that started it all, towards Fleet Street.

And you all thought he was dead. Please review!!


	8. Chapter 8

Language: English (change)

Top of Form 1

Tim Burton and Stephen Sondheim own Sweeney Todd. I own my own people.

A/N Wow, almost... Whats it been, 7 Months since I updated? I apologize, I really do. Actually, if you want the truth, I just got out of Rehab a week ago on Wednesday. I was an inpatient rehab since November, and I'm now clean and on the straight and narrow going on 126 days but who's counting? Anyway, I hope this make the wait worth it.  
WARNING: Might go into very heavy "T" to light "M". After all, this is the Sweeney Todd fandom, I wouldn't want anyone to get upset at the graphic nature of something.

Mrs. Lovett felt both her hands tied above her as she awoke from her slumber, the storm outside raging.  
Her corset and skirt had been removed from her body, leaving her in nothing but her thin blanket covering her.  
She yanked at the bindings that held her wrists, but it was to no avail, she was too tightly bound to the bed post.  
Mrs. Lovett looked around the room, and not seeing Thomas anywhere in sight, she called for help.  
" 'Elp me," she whispered softly, too afraid to be louder then that. " 'elp me, please!" she begged once more, a little louder, praying for anyone to hear her through her thin walls.  
She heard foot steps from her parlor coming into the bedroom, and her heart began beating rapidly against her chest as Thomas entered the room.  
He looked at her prisoner and chuckled with delight at the look of terror on her face.  
"Well now," he spoke, walking up to her, circling her bed. "Isn't this a pretty picture? My own personal harlot, tied up and ready to go."  
"You don' wan' to do this," pleaded Mrs. Lovett, "Please! I swear I won't tell a soul about Sweeney, or me!"  
"Now you see, Nellie," he said as if talking to a five year old, "I could untie you, give you a handshake and be off on my merry way."  
He pulled out the knife and ran it lovingly through his fingers, looking her covered body up and down, "but now where would the fun be?"  
"You'll get arrested! You'll be 'anged! People will talk, they'll know you was the last one to see me alive! Toby will go to the authorities, I swear 'ee will!"  
"Toby?!" Thomas laughed in delight ,"that miserable excuse for a boy? No, I have plans for him as well."  
"Don't 'hut 'im!" she cried at once. "I'll do anythin' you ask me, but just don't 'urt me son!"  
He chuckled his cruel laugh once more before going up to her and smiling down at her. "Don't worry, you will."  
And with incredible force, he hit her across the face. Mrs. Lovett let out a cry of pain and felt one of her teeth come loose. She spit it out and coughed on the blood and the sobs.  
"Please!" she pleaded, beginning to sob, "please leave me alone!"  
"Not a chance in hell."  
With a yell, he ripped off the blanket, leaving her naked and exposed.  
She whimpered in fear and her body began to shiver not from the cold, but form the fear and apprehension of what she knew was going to come next.  
"Beautiful," he mumbled, looking at every inch of exposed skin, a evil gleam in his eye. He took a step forward and she screamed.  
"No!" Mrs. Lovett screamed as loud as she could, "Git away from me!"  
He quickly got on top of her and held the knife to her throat.  
"I swear if you don't shut the fuck up!" he growled, "I will slit you from ear to fucking ear!"  
She silenced herself and he smiled at her,  
"Much better,"  
He looked her up and down once more before moving his hands across her chest, his thumb grazing over her nipples. He moved his hand down her her stomach and rubbed her opening, closing his eyes and smiling in pleasure.  
"You're going to be a challenge," he whispered into her ear, "I like that in a woman."  
"Please," she told him, no longer sobbing, but instead found it difficult to speak at all seeing she was shaking from fear so much. "Please don't do this!"  
"No, please don't," he mimicked, before kissing her on the lips, and inserting three fingers into her opening.  
She screamed in pain and tried to writhe away from him.  
"No! Stop it! Please!"  
"I know you like that," he whispered in her ear, gently nibbling it as he moved his fingers in and out as fast as he could. "A little harlot like you."  
Mrs. Lovett screamed once more, but the loud crash of thunder drowned her out.  
"And just think," he whispered again, "this is only the beginning, I'm still gonna have a lot more fun with you."  
She couldn't speak, all she was able to do was sob in disbelief and pain as he continued to assault her.  
"Mum!" a familiar voice rang out, followed by the sound of the bell tingling.  
"Shut up!" he ordered her in a whisper, "not one fucking word or your son is dead. Do you understand?"  
Mrs. Lovett nodded profusely and he pulled his fingers out of her and went to the door and opened it, slamming it shut.  
Toby, who was just in the parlor, soaked through to the skin, jumped at the sound and turned to Thomas and let out a smile of relief.  
"Sir!" he let out a relieved shout, "Thank god you're alright! I couldn' fin' any 'elp. I came back to see if there was anything mum needed from me or-"  
"Relax, dear boy, " he said surprisingly calm, "Your mother is resting. She fixed me up good and then went straight to bed."  
Toby smiled at the man before heading into Mrs. Lovetts room.  
"why are you going in there?" He asked, jumping in front of him.  
"I wanted to say good night,"  
"Well she's sound asleep, so I suggest you just stay out of there for the time being. After all, it ain't proper for a young boy to go into a grown woman's room, specially at night. Now why don't you just head of to bed, and I'll be sure to tell her "  
Toby looked at him, his eye brow cocked in confusion, and a little suspicion, but decided to take it for the truth and made his way over to the couch.  
"Wot are you doing?" Thomas asked, now getting severely annoyed at the boy.  
"Goin' to sleep, sir. I sleeps in the parlor."  
Without another word, he went to the tiny chest at the foot of his bed where he kept his clothing and stripped off his shirt.  
Knowing that having the little boy right in the next room would ruin everything he had planned, and knowing that his prize would begin screaming the moment he walked back into the room, he let out a yell of frustration, and tackled him to the ground.  
"Git off me!" Toby yelled fighting him.  
"Don't 'urt 'im! Please!" came Mrs. Lovetts scream from the other room.  
"Mum!" Toby yelled, fighting the man with all his worth.  
He may not have looked it, but thirteen years in a workhouse had toughened him up, but he was still no match for a fully grown man.  
"Let go of me, ya bastard!" Toby yelled at him, kicking and flailing, desperate to get to Mrs. Lovett and get her to safety.  
"Shut up!" Thomas roared, grabbing him by the collar of the shirt before slamming the head down on the ground hard.  
Toby stopped fighting at once and he fell limp, his eyes shut.  
Thomas stood up, wiped the sweat off the brow before going back to the bedroom.  
Mrs. Lovett laid sobbing on the bed, only knowing that her son was out there helpless, and Sweeney, her best friend, her protector, the partner in crime, was dead somewhere out there.  
"Aww," Thomas mimicked smirking, "don't cry. Your little bastards alive, for now."  
He walked over to her and unzipped his trousers.  
"No!" she screamed as loud as she could. "Please don't do this!"  
He chuckled and pulled down his trousers and briefs, tossing them to the other side of the room. He was already hard from the anticipation.  
"Now," he said slowly climbing on top of her, "the real fun begins."

Sweeney stumbled onto Fleet Street, seeing the only candle to still be lit was that of his neighbors. He also saw, that the front door was wide open.  
Flicking his razor open, he went as fast as he could, ignoring the blinding pain in his side, and the ice cold ran pounding down upon him. Knowing what limited time he had to get to her, to warn her or even save her if needs be.  
He got to the front entrance, and took a step in, being as quiet as he could manage. He walked into the living room, and stopped short at what he saw. Toby moaning softly, a trail of blood from his head to the floor.  
He went up to him and knelled down beside him.  
"Toby," he whispered shaking the boy. "Toby!"  
His eyes opened, and he opened his mouth to shout, but Sweeney covered it with his hand.  
"Don't shout, you stupid boy!' he growled softly. "Where is she and is she alright?"  
Sweeney removed his hand from his mouth and Toby began to speak in a hushed, panicked tone.  
As soon as he had said that, Mrs. Lovett emitted a loud scream from the other room.  
"She's in 'er bedroom! 'Ee's 'urting 'er, Mr. Todd! You have to save her!"  
Sweeney nodded, "You have to go run, and find a doctor, and a lawman, or just the first person you see. Do you understand me?"  
Toby nodded before getting up and slowly walking out of the bakehouse not to cause noise.  
Sweeney got up and walked slowly to her bedroom, flicking his razor open, and taking a deep breath, like a knight preparing for battle. With another deep breath, he kicked the door open as a crash of thunder sounded loudly.  
"Get off of her!" he growled as a flash of lightning lit up the sky and the tiny bedroom, revealing the crazed barber.  
Thomas and Mrs. Lovett both looked over to him and Mrs. Lovett couldn't help but let out a cry of relief. Thomas however, rolled off of her in a flash, got out his knife and quickly sliced through the bindings and pulled her off the bed, his knife to her throat, the other hand holding her arm behind her back so that she couldn't make an attempt to escape.  
"Let her go now, or die," Sweeney ordered him, walking towards them.  
"You're supposed to be dead!" Thomas yelled, as if Sweeney had done something wrong.  
"Let her go now!" Sweeney ordered, this time with more anger then before, "or I kill you where you stand!"  
The lighting flashed once more, and Thomas saw the crazed, insane look in his Sweeney's eyes, and it frightened him.  
"Look," Thomas said, attempting to hide the fear in his voice. "You can join me!" Thomas smiled at his idea. He had seen the way he looked at her, he knew exactly what he wanted to do to her, the same thing he had done. "We can share her, you and me. I'll even give you first dibs. Then we kill her, I'll leave and you'll never hear from me again. I'll even kill that wretched boy out there you hate so much!"  
"No!" Mrs. Lovett screamed trying to pull away from him, but Thomas yanked her back. "Do what you want with me just don't 'urt Toby!"  
"Shut up!" Thomas roared, pressing the knife to her throat even harder.  
Sweeney, said not a one word.  
"Come on, Todd!" Thomas urged, "I've seen the way you look at this piece of filth, I know the urge! You wanted to feel her, to see what lay underneath the skirts and corsets, to know what it's like to take her, to hear her scream and moan in pain! To be inside a woman you want to own! Join me, and I will never darken your door way again, we get rid of this harlot, and you don't have to deal with wanting and never having her anymore. I've never made any other man this offer before."  
Sweeney looked between an excited Thomas, and a petrified Mrs. Lovett before he smiled gleefully.  
"Tie her up."  
"Noooooo!" shrieked Mrs. Lovett, as Thomas threw her down on the bed and held her down, tying her up with the cut rope.  
"Sweeney!" she screamed, sobbing like she never had before. "Sweeney, don't do this, please!"  
But Sweeney looked on indifferent, walking over to her, looking her bruised and bloody body up and down.  
"Benjamen!" she cried, trying one last time to reason with him, not believing this was happening as Thomas finished up tying the knots. "Lucy wouldn't want you to do this! The same thing that drove 'er mad you're about to do! Please don't! Benjamen please!"  
But once again, he simply smiled a cruel smile at her and stroked her cheek tenderly.  
"Don't worry," Thomas got off of her and walked around to Sweeney and looked down at her, ignoring the silver razor in Sweeney's hand. "This will only hurt a bit."  
With sudden fury, he grabbed Thomas, yanked him so that he was facing towards him, and as quick as a flash, he had slit his throat.  
A quick gurgle and spray of blood, and Thomas feel to the wooden plank floor, dead.  
Standing over the corpse, Sweeney took several deep breaths to calm his nerves before he turned to Mrs. Lovett who was sobbing both from relief, and pain. He grabbed the blanket from the floor and gently covered her up from it, the fact that she had a slow stream of blood flowing from in between her legs not escaping him.  
"It's alright," he muttered, slicing through the bindings with his razor. "He's never going to hurt you again. Nothing is ever going to hurt you again."  
Mrs. Lovett quickly sat up and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder, pain ripping through him with every sob she took, but he didn't care at the moment. The only thing he cared about was the fact that the Demons nightmare, had finally come true,  
Please Review. Next and final chapter coming up soon!!!

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	9. Chapter 9

Stephen Sondheim and Tim Burton owns Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I own all my own people  
A/N Alright, last chapter. Sorry for the looooong update wait on the last chapter, but, like I said, I hope it was worth the wait. Enjoy my fellow Sweeney fans.

"Here," Sweeney said handing Mrs. Lovett a hot cup of tea as the two sat on the couch together, a thin blanket wrapped around her her only covering.  
"Thank you," she spoke softly grabbing the tea and sipping it slowly.  
He sat down beside her, groaning softly as the pain in his stomach ripped through him once more. Toby had been gone for twenty minutes, without signs that help was on the way.  
They both sat in silence as Mrs. Lovett sipped her tea, both to unsure of what to say.  
"So," Sweeney said after what felt like forever in uncomfortable silence. "Did he... you know?"  
Mrs. Lovett stared into her cup, giving a brief nod and biting her bottom lip to keep the tears from spilling.  
Sweeney sighed and looked down to the ground.  
"I'm sorry," he spoke to her sincerely, "but I tried to warn you that-"  
"Sweeney, please," Mrs. Lovett pleaded, tears beginning to fall from her eyes "you were right, I was wrong, but I'm really not in the mood to 'ear a lecture from ya."  
Sweeney bit back his remark and looked back down to the unpolished wood floor.  
After awhile, Mrs. Lovett spoke again.  
"I'm sorry," she told him looking down at her now empty cup, "I know you were jus' lookin' out for me, but." Tears began to fall harder, "I didn't think somethin' like that would 'appen to me, or that a man 'oo acted like that would do such a 'orrible thing. I just haven't felt that way about a man in a long time, and when 'e started sayin' I was beautiful, and that 'e loved me, I believed it. " She shook her head as more tears came pouring out of her dark eyes, "I should 'o listened to ya. I never should 'ave believed a man could love me or that I was anything special."  
"Eleanor Jane Lovett," Sweeney said, looking up at her, "I know you don't believe that about yourself."  
" 'Ow can it not be true?" She let out a sob, but quickly wiped away the tears. "No one beside 'im 'as even showed the slightest bit 'o interest in me since Albert died. I'm nothin', and this proves it."  
"Nellie, listen to me, " Sweeney told her, turning her head towards his, "you are beautiful, smart, kind, intelligent. I'm serious," he insisted seeing her scoff, "and if no other man besides 'him'," he said, spitting out the last word like it was poison, "can see it, then every man in London is an idiot."  
Mrs. Lovett looked into his eyes and he into hers, and her heart began racing.  
"You really think that?" she whispered  
"Every word," Sweeney told her, his eyes never leaving hers.  
They stared into one another's eyes for a moment before the bell in the front rang, followed by heavy footsteps.  
"They're in there," they heard Toby yell, and he ran into the parlor, followed by two policemen.  
"Mam, are you alright?" one of the cops asked her.  
Mrs. Lovett didn't answer as she and Sweeney continued to look into each other eyes.  
"Mam," the second cop asked giving her a tiny shake,  
She blinked and turned towards him, "Wot's goin' on?"  
"I'm Officer Alan Steely, Are you okay?" The first cop asked once more.  
Mrs. Lovett ran a hand through her hair and nodded, "I'm fine. The man responsible is in there."  
She pointed to her bedroom where Thomas laid dead. One of the cops went in there and then shouted out to his partner.  
" 'Ees dead!"  
Alan turned back to Mrs. Lovett, looking over her bruises.  
"Is the man dead responsible for hurting you?"  
Mrs. Lovett nodded, biting her bottom lip.  
" 'Ee was... 'e was in the middle of 'urtin' me when Mr. Todd rushed in and saved me."  
Alan turned to Sweeney , "is that true Mr. Todd?"  
Sweeney nodded, "Yes. He was on top of her and she was tied to her bed screaming when I went in there."  
He nodded, "Well thank you, Mr. Todd. You probably saved this woman's life today."  
Sweeney merely shrugged before Alan took out his notebook.  
"You two are gonna 'ave to go to the hospital, before we take your statements on what happened. And don't worry, we should get all of that," he motioned to the bedroom where a large puddle of blood had formed, "cleaned up by the time you get back."  
Mrs. Lovett nodded before Alan stuck his hand out for Mrs. Lovett to grab.  
Apprehensive at first, she soon grabbed it and he pulled her up, being careful to make sure the blanket stayed on her.  
As soon as she stood up, she let out a cry of pain and stumbled to the ground, but the cop caught her before she hit the ground.  
"You're okay," he told her, helping to stand her up. She hated his touch, innocent as it was, but she didn't want to tell him that. She didn't want to look even more weaker in Sweeneys eyes then she had.  
As he helped her to the door as Mrs. Lovett glanced back at Sweeney, silently pleading with him to come with her.  
With a groan of pain, he stood up from the couch and looked towards the bedroom, where the other cop was busy drawing the crime scene out.  
He knew she had been changed, she knew that it would take her a long time to get over this, perhaps she never would. She had been broken, she would no longer dream of a life by the sea, but instead be haunted by what had happened that night.  
He would help her as best he knew how, try to get her to her old self, but he knew that it would be hard.  
But he also knew that Thomas was dead, never to haunt her again, never to hurt her as long as she lived, and hoped that would give her some freedom.  
With a sigh, he walked out after them, shutting the door behind him, thanking God, that he had woken up, from this part of the nightmare at least.

Final Thoughts: Doesn't that just scream 'Sequel'? It surely does, so be sure to review this, and be on the look out for,  
"The Demons Nightmare Two: The Awakening,"  
Will it be Sweenet, or is Alan more involved in Mrs. Lovetts life then Sweeney would like? Be sure to read and find out.


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